Begonia plant named ‘Bbvolkra’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Bbvolkra’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely flowering habit; double flowers with orange to light red-colored tepals; and excellent flower longevity.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Bbvolkra’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Begonia Plant Named ‘Bbvolbro’; Josef Heuger, Applicant. Begonia Plant Named ‘Bbvolvir’; Josef Heuger, Applicant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bbvolkra’.

The new Begonia was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany in May, 2000, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Genie, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,886. The new Begonia was observed as a single plant in a group of flowering plants of the parent selection.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by cuttings in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Bbvolkra’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bbvolkra’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bbvolkra’ as a new and distinct Begonia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Double flowers with orange to light red-colored tepals.     -   4. Excellent flower longevity.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the parent, the cultivar Genie. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of the cultivar Genie in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia had shorter leaves than plants of         the cultivar Genie.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia had smaller cymes than plants of         the cultivar Genie.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the cultivar Genie differed in         tepal coloration as plants of the cultivar Genie had light         salmon red and yellow bi-colored tepals.     -   4. Plants of the new Begonia and the cultivar Genie differed in         flower bract coloration as plants of the cultivar Genie had         yellow orange-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Bbvolbro, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/114,524, and the cultivar Bbvolvir, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/114,521. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of the cultivars Bbvolbro and Bbvolvir primarily in tepal coloration.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar 00/3, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,208. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Glandorf, Germany, plants of the new Begonia differed primarily from plants of the cultivar 00/3 in tepal coloration as plants of the cultivar 00/3 had orange red and yellow bi-colored tepals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Begonia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bbvolkra’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands during the spring and summer under conditions typical of commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 15 to 20° C. and light levels were about 18,000 lux. Plants used for the photograph and the description were grown in 13-cm containers and were about three months old when the photograph and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Bbvolkra. -   Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the     Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Genie, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     12,886. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at temperatures of             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 20 to 35 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and freely branched. Plants             of the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant             habit; freely branching with about five to six basal             branches per plant. Moderately vigorous. Vegetative shoots             are formed at basal nodes and flowering shoots are formed at             upper nodes.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 20 to 25 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 8 to 13 cm. Diameter: About             1 to 3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 6 cm.             Width: About 5 cm. Shape: Roughly ovate; asymmetrical. Apex:             Acute. Base: Cordate. Margin: Doubly crenate. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Venation             pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             136A. Developing leaves, lower surface: 139A. Fully expanded             leaves, upper and lower surfaces: 136B. Venation, upper and             lower surfaces: 136B. Petiole length: About 4 to 6 cm.             Petiole diameter: About 4 mm. Petiole texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper and             lower surfaces: 136B. Stipule quantity: One to two per leaf.             Stipule size: About 1 cm by 1 cm. Stipule texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Stipule color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 136A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Double flowers with about 10 to 15 tepals             per flower; flowers arranged in axillary cymes; about five             to six open flowers per cyme; numerous cymes in flower             simultaneously; about 25 to 30 open flowers per plant.             Flowers positioned above and beyond the foliage and face             upright to outwardly. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Under natural daylight conditions,             plants flower from spring until the fall. Flower initiation             and development is induced by long day/short night             conditions. Flowering continuous under photoinductive             conditions.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four to five             weeks on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Cyme height.—About 4 to 5 cm.         -   Cyme diameter.—About 5 to 7 cm.         -   Flowers.—Shape: Oval to rounded; double. Diameter: About 4             to 5 cm. Depth (height): About 1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About             2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 20C.         -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Shape: Obovate to rounded.             Apex: Rounded to obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Crenate.             Length: About 2 to 3 cm. Width: About 3 to 4 cm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color:             When opening, upper surface: 24A. When opening, lower             surface: 20C. Fully opened, upper surface: 28C; towards the             margins, 43C; color becoming closer to 43C with development.             Fully opened, lower surface: 32C.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity: Two per flower. Arrangement:             Opposite. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape:             Broadly cordate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: 28C. Color, lower surface: 32D.         -   Peduncles.—Angle: About 30 to 45° from vertical. Length:             About 4 to 5 cm. Diameter: About 3 to 4 mm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Angle: About 30 to 45° from vertical. Length:             About 2 to 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 to 3 mm. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 21D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None             observed.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed             as reproductive organs are not formed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Begonia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Begonia. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named ‘Bbvolkra’, as illustrated and described. 